Nurse I'm starving hungry

[studious]

Hi there everyone,

I need some help here. We have a patient with dementia who is forever saying she is starving hungry. When I am on duty and she wants to eat I will give her as much as she would like. However, some factions believe that this is her dementia talking therefore is only entitled to a plateful of food and a pudding just like everyone else. This lady states when she has had enough, has told me not to stop feeding her as she will starve to death, and does not want to die. She also knows my name, even after a period when I was off work for several months, she knew my name straight away when I resumed duty. I have tried to look for articles on dementia and nutrition in order to back myself up. Am I wrong to assist an individual who quite obviously wants to eat? She never vomits afterwards, is on a pureed diet, knocks several lumps out of me during her meals, but always enjoys them anyway. I would dearly love anyone to give me advice, or direct me to a website that can give me articles on this subject, as it is dragging me down

[JoniL&DRN]

I'll tell you what, I took care of a woman with Alzheimer's for two and a half years. AT the end she only would eat ice cream for me and I'd feed it to her day and night. I'd say is she eats and isn't sick then feed her. She has a limited amount of time on the planet .... no reason not to enjoy what she does have.

[studious]

Hi everyone,

This is just to thank everyone for their input, it has been marvelous. I'ts nice to know that others agree with me, and that I am doing the right thing. The dietician reckons that if she wants to eat then she should be given as much or as little as she requires. I haven't seen the Consultant yet, but I will discuss the same with her. We are very lucky that our Consultant is so very into being a geriatrician, and cares as much as she does. I spoke with my Charge Nurse as well, and stressed the point of individualised care to her. I can remember having another lady who was 97 years old, and all she would eat was rice crispies in the morning and jelly and ice-cream for tea. She survived on this diet for two years, and died peacefully in her sleep without a single bedsore or red mark on her frail form, but that was what she wanted to eat, so that's what she got.

My wee lady at the moment is not too well though, she was sick last night, and didn't want anything to eat today at all, so I'm a bit worried about her. She is supposedly that demented, she actually told me this a.m when I was caring for her that she was "sick last night". I'm glad I had witnesses to the fact, so now they know she remembers other things and not just my name, which is being put down to learning parrot fashion. She was so poorly that she didn't even call me her usual bad names, didn't hit me once, which is why I'm so worried. However, she is drinking plenty of milk and juice, and keeping it down, So, hopefully she'll be feeling better soon. Probably just a wee virus. Anyway, thanks again everyone for your input. Take care.:)